How to Prevent VS Code from Automatically Accepting Suggestions When Typing Characters

Описание: Learn how to customize your VS Code settings to prevent automatic selection of autocomplete suggestions while coding in JavaScript. Get step-by-step instructions to enhance your coding experience!
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/75789289/ asked by the user 'frumbert' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1238884/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/75794006/ provided by the user 'starball' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/11107541/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Prevent VS Code from Automatically Accepting Suggestions When Typing Characters

As a developer, working in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) can be an enjoyable experience, especially with its robust autocomplete feature powered by IntelliSense. However, this feature can sometimes become more of a nuisance than a help.

One common frustration occurs when simply typing a character like ( can lead to an unwanted automatic selection of an autocomplete suggestion. For instance, when you're trying to call a function named Setup, you might find that IDE's suggestion system prefers other options, such as SecurityPolicyViolationEvent. This can interrupt your workflow, leading to frustration as you have to backtrack to make the correct selection.

If you’ve ever found yourself typing a function name only to have VS Code choose the wrong suggestion automatically, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there is a straightforward solution to regain control over this feature.

Solution: Adjusting Your Settings in VS Code

To stop VS Code from accepting suggestions automatically when typing certain characters, you’ll need to modify your settings in the settings.json file. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

Step 1: Open your Settings

Open Command Palette:

You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Shift + P (or Cmd + Shift + P on macOS).

Search for Preferences:

Type "Preferences: Open Settings (JSON)" and select it. This will open your settings.json file where you can manually adjust your settings.

Step 2: Edit the Settings

In the settings.json file, you need to add a specific line to control the behavior of suggestion acceptance. Add the following JSON line to your settings:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Understanding the Setting

This setting controls whether or not suggestions should be accepted when a certain character (known as a "commit character") is typed. For JavaScript developers, a commit character could be a semi-colon (;), an opening parenthesis (() and others. By setting this option to false, you can keep autocomplete suggestions available without having them automatically selected when typing.

Step 3: Save Changes

Once you have added the line to the settings.json file, make sure to save your changes. This will apply the new settings immediately.

Conclusion

With just this simple adjustment, you can manage when autocompletion suggestions are accepted and prevent accidental selections that disrupt your coding flow. This small change can significantly enhance your productivity and make coding in VS Code a more pleasant experience.

If you appreciate the convenience of autocomplete but want the flexibility of choosing suggestions on your own terms, be sure to try out this setting today!